A Pile of it
OK Vic, If I had the energy I would laugh out loud. Ha...if I thought my nerves would have stood it, than yes I do wish I had been there. Truly though, it does not sound a whole lot different than me trying to get out of bed in the morning. "Oh Jesus, help me please, just help me get my feet onto the floor, I know you can help me lift my head off the pillow. Thank you, oh no there it goes again, buried back in the softness of it all." Roll over, pull the thick squishy quilt over my head. "Please help me not to hit the snooze, AGAIN..." It can get worse after that. I even get up, late, wake Jer, and crawl back in bed. The standing upright can be a challenge, down the steps, make the coffee, check the temp to know how many layers I need pile so as to not freeze to death feeding my equines. Back up the steps, start to squeeze into the under armour, sit back down on the bed, fight, fight, fight, the temptation to lie back down, even on top the covers, half dressed feels soooo good. Well, you get the picture.

Today the blacksmith, ferrier, horseshoer was here. Now that we have a barnful it takes five hours or so to get them all trimmed and reshod. Means five hours of standing holding one horse after another while Jeff picks up their feet, trims the hoof one at a time, pulls off the old shoe, nails on a new one, trims the nails, refiles the hoof to look nice in the new shoe. Not everyone gets shoes, only the horses that get ridden a bunch. We took the shoes off Poco, Jer's pony, since he has not been ridden so much lately, pulled the back shoes off the big black mare, since she isn't doing much either. Turns into quite the production. Except to go in once to pee, I was not in the house from eight in the morning until almost three in the afternoon. Bless you Janet, it you had not been here to relieve me and help hold the kids, I am not sure I would have made it. I even got you to hold the hard ones. Of couse Poco is not so big and bad with that chain tied under his upper lip. No don't anyone get all PETA on me, its humane, just a wee bit uncomfortable. Keeps 'em manageable in case they want to kill you, which he, Poco, does when Jeff is nailing on the new shoes. All of a sudden our sweet little pony turns into Jack the Ripper, really. So yea Janet, you are the best to come stand around in the cold for hours on end holding on to the angry end of a half a ton of angry horse.

I was almost too tired to even eat lunch, I found some leftover potatoes in the fridge, nuked 'em, and curled up on a heating pad just to bring up my body temp to somewhere near normal. Honestly thought a tough day, bad day, in the barn is better than a good day almost anywhere else. I have really found my sweet spot. Drew may be the one shoveling it up above, but I'd rather be shoveling manure than any indoor chore I can think of. Huh. Who'd a thunk it? God has poured His blessings upon me. Equine therapy, nothing better.

Here's a pic of me and my girl in Lexington VA at the one and only Paso show we ever went to. One was enough, not my game. But she sure looks purdy don't ya think? I miss her bunches, days like today, maintence stuff where she was such a good girl, just doesn't seem right for her not to be here. First time Jeff had been here since we lost her. When I told him about her light being burned out the next morning after her passing, I thought he was going to tear up. Again, the mercy God has poured into my life amazes me. That I should have such dear friends and horse folks in my life simply blows me away. The every day little blessings are the very best. They make life dear, precious, and sweet. Jesus physical hand in our lives comes in so many surprising ways.